# The Operator vs Phantom Words

The clearest difference is ratings volume: The Operator at 472 against Phantom Words's 7. The Operator also leads on chart position (#177 vs unranked). Phantom Words's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 89%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Operator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Phantom Words sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for The Operator against 4.9 for Phantom Words. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Operator has 472 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 89% of The Operator's written reviews are positive against 100% of Phantom Words's.

The Operator ships an update daily, Phantom Words every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Operator | Phantom Words |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (472 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-operator/id6779664500/reviews) | **[4.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phantom-words/id6789995017/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **472** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 88.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#177** | — |
| Size | 926 MB | 137 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bureau 81](https://appshunter.io/developer/6779664502) | [Fleon Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/1369538991) |

## What reviewers say

### The Operator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-operator/id6779664500)

**Currently charting:** #177 Top Free · Adventure (US App Store)

Step into the role of an Operator for the FDI, solving complex cases like murders and cyber attacks. Utilize advanced software to analyze evidence, assist field agents, and uncover the truth behind mind-bending mysteries. Your ingenuity is key to bringing criminals to justice and making the world a safer place.

**Highlights:** Investigate diverse criminal cases, Utilize cutting-edge FDI software, Analyze evidence and find clues, Assist field agents with fact-checking, Uncover mind-bending stories, Solve mysteries through deduction

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Game | $7.99 | one-time |


### Phantom Words

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phantom-words/id6789995017)

Unscramble letters by sliding rows and columns to form words. Discover hidden letters as you play, with increasing complexity and new mechanics introduced. Offers multiple game modes for varied challenges.

**Highlights:** Sliding row and column puzzles, Hidden letter discovery, Progressive difficulty, Multiple game modes (Classic, Endless, Daily, Lightning), iCloud sync across devices, Game Center leaderboards

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kind Supporter | $2.49 | one-time |
| Generous Supporter | $4.99 | one-time |
| Huge Supporter | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Operator free?

The Operator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Phantom Words free?

Phantom Words is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Operator or Phantom Words?

Phantom Words is rated higher. The Operator averages 4.9 out of 5 from 472 ratings, while Phantom Words averages 4.9 from 7 ratings.

### Do The Operator or Phantom Words have ads?

Neither The Operator nor Phantom Words shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Operator or Phantom Words?

The Operator ships an update daily, and Phantom Words every 4 days. Most recently, The Operator was updated on October 13, 2026 and Phantom Words on October 11, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*